Winter Climbing Conditions February 2003

26th February 2003
The weather has been exceptionally stable and dry over the last two weeks and it was dry again today. Tomorrow will be wet.

25th February 2003

SC Gully was climbed a couple of days ago but it certainly hasn't formed - my informant has been reprimanded! Rose and I, along with most other people, climbed NC Gully instead. It stayed dry but was very windy, the flying saucer lenticular clouds being a good indicator of this. Not too bad weather tomorrow but wet, warm and windy on Thursday.

24th February 2003

Sunshine and crispy snow again on Tower Ridge with Rose today, a perfect day. Conditions stay the same, lots of ice to climb in drainage lines but climbs formed by thaw freeze cycles (Orion Face, Mega Route X, Smiths Route etc.) have very little ice. SC Gully (III) on Stob Coire nan Lochan has formed and has been climbed, though. Bad weather coming towards the end of the week.

23rd February 2003
Wet snow was falling on Aonach Mor today and it was +0.5 celcius, not warm enough to melt away much ice or snow. As the rock was so cold, rime built up quickly last night in the wind and cloud, making the buttresses look quite white. Ash and Delphine had fun on Right Twin (II), their first winter climb and Alec and Malcolm enjoyed Forgotten Twin (II) all as part of the Film Festival Workshops. We also had a group of 7 on the walking skills workshop. The pressure is rising again and tomorrow will be another nice day, drier than today hopefully and I'll try not to forget my camera again!

22nd February 2003
Despite the wind being too strong for the gondola this afternoon the Mountain Film Festival Workshops went well at Nevis Range. We climbed Left Twin which is about III,4 at the moment and Tinsel Town, Maneater, Siamese Twin, Icicle Gully, Right Twin and Jet Stream were all climbed. There is not much ice on them though so a reasonable thaw will strip them quickly.

21st February 2003
Still dry, nice weather today but slowly starting to warm up. Hopefully not too quickly because we don't have much snow to melt away. If Mark's mum is right, though, the snow that has been falling on the E coast of America will arrive here in about ten days time. Fingers crossed!

20th February 2003

Continuous dry, cold weather has produced Alpine conditions - dry rock and solid ice. Tower Ridge was in great condition for Ken and Lex to lead themselves up and we had it to ourselves as well. There were at least four parties in Point Five Gully though! Beinn Udlaidh has some great ice climbs to go for and at Creag Meagaidh Smiths Gully (V,5) looks challenging but has been climbed, Last Post (V,5) is great and the other posts look complete but not at their easiest! This will be the last weekend of good weather before our friendly high pressure slips away back over Scandinavia, so make the most of it by coming to Fort William and enjoying the start of the Mountain Film Festival as well!

18th February 2003

The high pressure won and is still dominant giving us cold, clear, perfect weather! In our snow hole last night we enjoyed the conditions (-7 celcius) to the full, playing on the ice on the W Face of Aonach Beag yesterday and climbing the E Ridge of Carn Dearg Meadhaonach today. This is a great grade II ridge in a superb position that rarely gets climbed. On the W Face of Aonach Mor the ridges are quite dry and the gullies are filling with ice. On Ben Nevis, Point Five Gully (V,5) is in great condition, Tower Face of the Comb is now black but was climbed at the weekend by Craig and Tony when it was in good condition. Stringfellow and Gargoyle Wall were also climbed at the weekend. Central Gully R Hand and Thomson's Route were found to be good and challenging by Jonny and Andy today. The high pressure will give fairly stable weather until the weekend.

17th February 2003

16th February 2003

This morning was noticably warmer as the occluded front off to the W finally started to drag itself across us. By the end of the day the sunshine was replaced by cloud and wind. What happens with the weather over the next couple of days though is not certain as the front does battle with the high pressure. Chances are we'll get some snow but it could rain to the summits or stay totally dry!

15th February 2003
A perfect day on Ben Nevis! From Ledge Route I saw parties on Point Five Gully, Good Friday Climb, Tower Ridge, Garadh Gully, Glovers Chimney, Raeburns Easy Route, The Cascade, Number 2 Gully, Comb Gully, Green Gully, Diana, Number 3 Gully Buttress and Pinacle Arete. A busy day! Unfortunately I forgot my camera so no pictures today! More good weather tomorrow but the occluded front might push in across the west coast tomorrow night.

14th February 2003

The occluded front that was threatening to cover the W coast today didn't manage it, the high pressure stood its ground! Sunshine and cloud free with crispy snow and ice rapidly forming. Ian, Andy, Richard and Tony all enjoyed the view E from Aonach Mor and learned a lot about winter mountaineering at the same time. It's going to be a great weekend, we're going up Ben Nevis tomorrow where Comb Gully (IV,4) and Green Gully (IV,4) are both good, The Curtain is a bit thin but the classic ridges will be great.

13th February 2003

A little cloud and a little wind didn't spoil a good day today. The ice routes on Aonach Beag N Face appear to be the drainage lines for the snow slopes above - as there is not a huge depth of snow around and we've had few thaw freeze cycles they are not yet thick enough to climb, but are building well. Black Out (IV,5) and the pillar of Aquaphobia (VI,6) have just about formed but Royal Pardon and Stand and Deliver are thin smears. The Central West Face however has a lot of beautiful blue ice lines complete from bottom to top. These are in the grade II to IV bracket and would be worth looking out. Cloudy tomorrow but staying cool.

12th February 2003

The snow low down has frozen hard and icy but higher up it will need another cold night or two to solidify. On The Buachaille I was doing some winter ML revision with Mike, enjoying the sunshine and still conditions. The buttresses are dry, no rime has built up, but there are patches of ice around and the snow is getting good. On Aonach Mor today John found Hidden Gully (II) on the E Face to be a lovely, little frequented gully but with unconsolidated snow at the top. At least there is a trail there now for us all to follow! It is freezing already and will be another good day tomorrow.

11th February 2003

It was a nice day today as high pressure built over us from Scandinavia. This high pressure will bring stable weather over the next few days with frosty nights freezing the snowpack and sunny dry days. There is an occluded front that will bring some cloud to the west coast on Friday but it will not come to much as the high pressure will weaken it. So the snow and ice conditions will continue to improve through to the weekend, we might not have to wait much longer for the big ice routes.

10th February 2003

It didn't warm up as much as it was forecast to today, wet snow fell down to 750m in Glen Coe but it was dry snow at about 900m on Aonach Mor. I took my Mum and Dad up Curved Ridge to give Dad a taste of leading and of rocky ridge climbing. The frequent avalanches out of Crowberry Gully were impressive!

9th February 2003

The thaw lasted until last night when it cooled and snowed a little down to 700m, a couple of cms at Nevis Range top station this morning. It turned out nice today and Donald had a great day with Simon and Richard leading themselves up Curved Ridge (III) on The Buachaille. Another thaw freeze cycle is forecast over the next two days with colder conditions again by Wednesday so I imagine there will be some snow and ice gullies coming into condition soon.

6th February 2003

Typical warm front weather today, steady drizzle turning to steady rain and low cloud. It was 5celcius at 700m so the freezing level was at the tops or above, consolidating the snow. Donald found good grade III ice on the W face of Aonach Mor with Dean and Uyen and Beinn Udlaidh is still thick with ice although Kevin, Giles, Jo and Ryan got very wet climbing South Gully of the Black Wall (IV,4) and Quartzvein Scoop (IV,4). Tomorrow will be warm again with rain later, windy on Saturday and colder on Sunday.

5th February 2003

Days like today are the reason I live in Fort William! Sunshine, no wind and lots of snow.The skiing at Nevis Range was great, right down to the bottom car park. The cornices at the top of Easy Gully on Aonach Mor are huge and there are several crown walls in and below the gully. The leading edge of a warm front was passing over at 5pm so, as the freezing level rises to the summits during tomorrow, this fresh snow will want to avalanche in a big way, but in the long run it will consolidate the snow and give us a good base. When it freezes again, many gullies and ice routes should be in condition. Quartzvein Scoop (IV,4) and Peter Pan Direct (V,5) at Beinn Udlaidh were climbed a few days ago so will be well formed now and The Shroud was forming on Ben Nevis, Waterfall Gully (IV,4), The Curtain (IV,5) and Gemini (VI,6) are all formed and other drainage lines like the icefalls on the W face of Aonach Mor. The weekend should be cold enough for wintery showers, Sunday looks like the better day.

4th February 2003

Sunshine and snow today, yet more snow!

3rd February 2003

The driving was challenging this morning with several cms of snow on the road! At Alltnafeadh where you park for Buachaille Etive Mor it was 20cm deep which fell over the last two days. So it was heavy going into the coire but Andy, Ian, Kaele and I all had a good day there making use of all the ice building up on the rocky bluffs. Donald, Dean and Uyen climbed Dorsal Arete today and found the snow was 80cms deep at the top of Broad Gully - six days ago it was bare of snow at the top! Not surprisingly it is a category 4 avalanche risk. Cold still tomorrow and Wednesday, SW winds on Thursday will bring warmer wet weather but still with snow on the summits. Take care.

2nd February 2003
Nevis Range was open yesterday and today there was even more snow right down to my back garden! It was coming in off a very strong W wind which will continue tomorrow along with the snowfall. Stick to the ridges for a few days (if you can get to them!), this much snow will take a while to settle down.